असकृद्वदतो वाक्यमीदृशं राक्षसेश्वर। विषादयुक्तमेतत्ते मया श्रुतमभाग्यया। तद्भद्रमुख भद्रं ते मानसं विनिवर्त्यताम्
Again and again you speak such words, O lord of the rākṣasas; I, unfortunate, have heard them, filled with sorrow. Therefore, noble-faced one, turn your mind away from this.
परदाराऽस्म्यलभ्या च सततं च पतिव्रता। न चैवौपयिकी भार्य मानुषी तव राक्षस
I am another's wife, unattainable, always devoted to my husband; and a human woman is not a suitable wife for you, O rākṣasa.
विवशां धर्षयित्वच कां त्वं प्रीतिमवाप्स्यसि। न च पालयसे धर्मं लोकपालसमः कथम्
If you force yourself upon a helpless woman, what pleasure will you gain? How do you, who claim to uphold dharma like the guardians of the world, not observe it yourself?
भ्रातरं राजराजं तं महेश्वरसस्वं प्रभुम्। धनेश्वरं व्यपदिशन्कथं त्विह न लज्जसे
How do you not feel shame, here, when you call your own brother, the king of kings, the great lord, the master of wealth, your lord?
इत्युक्त्वा प्रारुदत्सीता कम्पयन्ती पयोधरौ। शिरोधरां च तन्वङ्गी मुस्वं प्रच्छाद्यवाससा
Having spoken thus, Sītā wept, her breasts trembling, her slender body bent, covering her face with her garment.
तस्य रुदत्या भामित्या दीर्घा वेणी सुसयता। ददृशे स्वसिता स्निग्धा काली व्यालीव मूर्धनि
As she wept, that spirited woman's long, well-braided hair, dark and glossy, fell over her head like a black serpent.
श्रुत्वा तद्रावणो वाक्यं सीतयोक्तं सुनिषुरम्। प्रत्याख्यातोऽपिदुर्मेधाः पुनरेवाब्रवीद्वचः
Hearing Sītā's words, spoken with deep resolve, Rāvaṇa, though rejected, spoke again with harsh intent.
काममङ्गनि मे सीते दुनोतु मकरध्वजः। नत्वामकामां सुश्रोणीं समेप्ये चारुहासिनीं
Let the god of love torment my limbs, O Sītā, if he wishes; but I will not touch you, lovely-hipped, beautiful-smiling one, against your will.
किंनु शक्यं मया कर्तुं यत्त्वमद्यापिमानुषम्। आहारभूतमस्माकं राममेवानुरुध्यसे
What can I do, since even now you, a human meant to be our food, still long only for Rāma?
इत्युक्त्वा तामनिन्द्याङ्गीं स राक्षसमहेश्वरः। तत्रैवान्तर्हितो भूत्वा जगामाभिमतां दिशम्
Having spoken thus to her, whose limbs were beyond reproach, the great lord of the rākṣasas vanished from there and went in the direction he desired.
राक्षसीभिः परिवृतावैदेही शोककशिंता। सेव्यमाना त्रिजटया तत्रैव न्यवसत्तदा
Surrounded by rākṣasīs, Vaidehī, tormented by grief and anxiety, was attended by Trijaṭā and remained there at that time.
राघवः सहसौमित्रिः सुग्रीवेणाभिपालितः। वसनमाल्यवतः पृष्ठे ददर्श विमलं नभः
Rāghava, with Saumitri, guarded by Sugrīva, saw the clear sky from the slopes of Mount Mālyavat.
सदृष्ट्वाविमले व्योम्नि निर्मलं शसलक्षणम्। ग्रहनक्षत्रताराभिरनुयान्तममित्रहा
Seeing the spotless moon in the clear sky, followed by planets, stars, and constellations, the destroyer of foes gazed upward.
कुमुदोत्पलपद्मानां गन्धमादाय वायुना। महीधरस्थः शीतेन सहसाप्रतिबोधितः
The wind, carrying the fragrance of lotuses, blue lilies, and red lotuses, suddenly awakened him with its coolness as he stood upon the mountain.
प्रभाते लक्ष्मणं वीरमभ्यभाषत दुर्मनाः। सीतां संस्मृत् यधर्मात्मा रुद्धां राक्षसवेश्मनि
At dawn, troubled in mind, he spoke to the heroic Lakshmana, remembering Sita, the virtuous one, held captive in the house of the rakshasa.
गच्छ लक्ष्मण जानीहि किष्किंदायां कपीश्वरम्। प्रमत्तं ग्राम्यधर्मेषु कृतघ्नं स्वार्थपण्डितम्
Go, Lakshmana, and find the lord of the monkeys in Kishkindha—he who is careless in worldly duties, ungrateful, and clever only for his own gain.
योसौ कुलाधमो मूढो मया राज्येऽभिषेचितः। सर्ववानरगोपुच्छा यमृक्षाश्च भजन्ति वै
That base and foolish one of his lineage, whom I installed in the kingdom, is served by all the monkeys, the tail-bearing ones, and the bears as well.
यदर्थं निहतो बाली मया रघुकुलोद्वह। त्वया सहमहाबाहो किष्किन्धोपवने तदा
For whose sake Bali was slain by me, O best of the Raghu line, together with you, mighty-armed one, in the outskirts of Kishkindha at that time—
कृतघ्नं तमहं मन्ये वानरापशदं भुवि। यो मामेवंगतो मूढो न जानीतेऽद्य लक्ष्मण
I consider him ungrateful, a disgrace among monkeys on earth, who, in his delusion, does not recognize me in this situation, O Lakshmana.
असौ मन्ये न जानीते समयप्रतिपालनम्। कृतोपकारं मां नूनमवमत्याल्पया धिया
I think he does not understand the keeping of agreements; surely, with his small mind, he disregards me, his benefactor.
यदितावदनुद्युक्तः शेते कामसुखात्मकः। नेतव्यो वालिमार्गेण सर्वभूतगतिं त्वया
If he, still unprepared, lies indulging in pleasures, you must make him follow the path of Vali, along with all living beings.
अथापि घटतेऽस्माकमर्ते वानरपुङ्गवः। तमादायैव काकुत्स्थ त्वरावान्भव माचिरम्
But if, for our sake, the foremost of monkeys is striving, then, O descendant of Kakutstha, bring him here quickly without delay.
इत्युक्तो लक्ष्मणो भ्रात्रा गुरुवाक्यहिते रतः। प्रतस्थे रुचिरं गृह्य समार्गणगुणं धनुः
Thus addressed by his brother, who was devoted to the words of elders, Lakshmana set out, taking his splendid bow fitted with arrows.
किष्किन्धाद्वारमासाद्यप्रविवेशानिवारितः। सक्रोध इतितं मत्वाराजा प्रत्युद्ययौ हरिः
Reaching the gate of Kishkindha, he entered unhindered; the monkey king, understanding his intent and anger, came out to meet him.
तं सदारोविनीतात्मा सुग्रीवः प्लवगाधिपः। पूजया प्रतिजग्राह प्रीयमाणस्तदर्हया
Sugriva, the lord of monkeys, humble in spirit and with his wife, received him with honor, delighted and as was proper.
तमब्रवीद्रामवचः सौमित्रिरकुतोभयः। स तत्सर्वमशेषेण श्रुत्वा प्रह्वः कृताञ्जलिः
Saumitri, fearless, spoke Rama’s words to him; hearing all of it in full, he bowed with joined palms.
सभृत्यदारो राजेन्द्रसुग्रीवो वानराधिपः। इदमाह वचः प्रीतो लक्ष्मणं नरकुञ्जरम्
The monkey king Sugriva, with his attendants and wife, pleased, spoke these words to Lakshmana, the elephant among men.
नास्मि लक्ष्मण दुर्मेधा नाकृतज्ञो न निर्घृणः। श्रूयतां यः प्रयत्नो मे सीतापर्येषणे कृतः
Lakshmana, I am not evil-minded, ungrateful, or hard-hearted; listen to the effort I have made in searching for Sita.
दिशः प्रस्थापिताः सर्वेविनीता हरयो मया। सर्वेषां च कृतः कालो मासेऽभ्यागमने पुनः
All the disciplined monkeys have been sent out by me in every direction, and a time of one month has been set for all to return.
यैरियं सवना साद्रिः सपुरा सागराम्बरा। विचेतव्या मही वीर सग्रामनगराकरा
By them, this earth—together with its forests, mountains, cities, and the ocean’s expanse—must be searched, O hero, including villages, towns, and mines.